No one wants to rush the rest of summer, but it’s hard to deny the season is starting to come to an end. August is right around the corner, which means we’ll soon be heading into cooler temperatures, fewer shorts and more sweaters, and the start of a new school year for those in attendance.
The feeling of heading back to school after a summer break is one of those feelings that just about everyone can relate to. We’ve all felt it. The dread of your lax summer days coming to an end, stores transitioning to carrying pencils and paper rather than pool noodles — it’s enough to make your stomach turn just thinking about it.
Luckily, there are plenty of movies out there that sort of romanticize being at school to combat those back-to-school blues. There are fun movies about skipping school and gallivanting around town, conquering your fears and making new friends, and ultimately finding yourself at a time when self-discovery is essentially a top priority.
There’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy if the idea of fall creeping in stresses you out. But if you’re ready to embrace a new season — and even a new school year — here are some back-to-school movies sure to get you in the mood.
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6 Mean Girls (2004)
Paramount Pictures
Although it came out in 2004, Mean Girls has maintained its popularity over the years with its signature 2000s fashion and iconic one-liners. It’s about Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) a teenager who originally went to school in Africa, but moves to the suburbs in Illinois and gets a taste of public school. She essentially gets a crash course in popularity, cliques, and the social hierarchy of high school. She finds herself falling into the elite group, dubbed The Plastics, and has to go on a journey of self-discovery to realize not only who she is, but who her real friends are.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Simply put, Mean Girls is hilarious. With its ensemble cast and excellent writing, it captures so much of the high school experience that people are familiar with, both good and bad. The movie also features one of the most iconic “mean girl” characters of all time, Regina George (Rachel McAdams). Mean Girls is a fun back-to-school movie for those looking for an embellishment of the survival-of-the-fittest mentality often seen in high school, and is especially great for anyone who loved Heathers.
5 Clueless (1995)
This coming-of-age comedy is about popular rich girl Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) who befriends a “tragically unhip” new student at her Beverly Hills High School and gives her a makeover to boost her confidence and popularity. Clueless is loosely based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma and since its premiere has become a cult classic and even led to a spin-off TV show and a series of books.
Clueless is a masterclass in teen comedy. It’s witty, full of satire, and genuinely hilarious. Even though it premiered in 1995, it still holds up today as a quirky, fun teen movie that’s totally worth a watch. Along with its charming humor, Clueless also emphasizes female friendships and the power of a chic outfit.
4 The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Summit Entertainment
Based on Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 novel of the same name, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations out there. It’s all about friendship, love, the deeply complex teenage experience, and the process of finding yourself with the help of those around you. Chbosky wrote the screenplay and directed the movie, and it’s evident in each scene that he approached the project with the utmost care, because the characters perfectly mirror what he created in the book and virtually jump off the screen.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of the best modern coming-of-age films, making it a great watch for those in the back-to-school age bracket who are also trying to discover who they are. The movie also deals with serious topics like depression, suicide and anxiety, really beautifully capturing the highs and lows of being a teen.
3 Dazed and Confused (1993)
Gramercy Pictures
Dazed and Confused is all about the coveted last day of school. It follows a group of Texas teens in 1976, as they all go on their own journeys of self-discovery, centered around the last day of school. There are incoming freshmen, graduating seniors, and everything in between, each with their own stories to tell. The movie is known for its ensemble cast, featuring big names like Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, and Milla Jovovich. It also featured an outstanding soundtrack and one-liners like McConaughey’s signature, “alright, alright, alright.”
Everyone that is going back to school is likely already dreaming about the last day, and all the celebrations that come with the end of a school year. Dazed and Confused manages to bottle that energy and convey it through larger-than-life characters. It’s a perfect slice-of-life film and is a must-watch, even all these years later.
2 The Breakfast Club (1985)
Universal Pictures
The Breakfast Club is well-known and well-loved by just about everyone. This coming-of-age teen dramedy is about five students (Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, and Judd Nelson) from different walks of life who all find themselves in a Saturday detention. Each student tells their story and gets to know one another over the course of the detention, leading them to wonder if school will ever be the same now that they really know each other.
The Breakfast Club is one of John Hughes’ best works. It represents the polarizing nature of cliques and high school, but also emphasizes how similar we can be despite our surface-level differences. The cast of misfits managed to be funny, touching and easy to relate to. So much so, that even decades later, the movie still holds a special place in the hearts of those who enjoyed it. Of all the teen coming-of-age movies, The Breakfast Club feels the most authentic.
1 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Who didn’t want to skip school and have an adventurous day like Ferris Bueller? Premiering in 1986, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of John Hughes’ best movies. Ferris (Matthew Broderick) skips school one last time before his high school graduation, accompanied by his timid best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara). Ferris steals a ferrari, visits an art museum, and performs in a parade, all while Dean of Students Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is on his tail.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a fun, romanticized day of playing hooky with the bustling city of Chicago as its backdrop. It’s all about being young, carefree, and having fun. Broderick often breaks the fourth wall, telling the audience about his thoughts and insights, making you feel like you’re in on the scheme with him. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a timeless classic and a great feel-good movie if you have the back-to-school blues.
